Propelling mechanism.



F. B. TAFF.

PROPELLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY17, 1911.

1,058,807, Patented A r. 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

GOLUMIIA PLANGOIAPH COI WAIHINOTON, D. C.

F. B. TAFF.

PROPELLING MECHANISM.

1110111011 FILED 11111 117, 1911.

1,058,807. 1 Pat nted Apr. 15, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' Emma 1 COLUMIIA FLANOUIAPH COJWAIHINOION, D, G.

FRANK B. TAIEF, OF WHITES'IONE LANDING, NEW YORK.

PROPELLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

Application filed July 17, 1911. Serial No. 638,960.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. TAFF, citizen of the United States, residing at Whitestone Landing, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propelling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in propelling mechanism for vessels and especially for the type of launches and similar boats.

More particularly my invention relates to a novel means for operating that type of propeller blade which has a fish tail or fin construction as shown and described in Letters Patent granted to me, Patent Number 510,725 of December 12, 1893, wherein I have disclosed a type of propeller new to the art. This type of propeller, as used to propel vessels, possesses many advantages over the paddle construction of propeller; according to arrangements which I provide the propeller blades are adapted to be reciprocated instead of being rotated as has been the usual practice. In my said patent, above mentioned, it has been shown that hitherto many classes of propeller blades existed which provided for the use of a substantially fin shaped propeller blade, but on account of the backwarddrag of the fin shaped propeller blade, due to imperfections in the mode of operating same, the use of such blades has fallen into desuetude.

This invention is an improvement over the novel mechanism shown in my aforementioned patent and comprises a novel form of propeller blade and a distinct means for operating same.

One of the objects of my present invent-ion consists in giving to the fish tail or fin shaped propeller blade, a graded fieXure which I have found to be very essential for the purpose of driving the vessel in a steady course where the blades are not each used as a propelling means. I have found through continual practice that the very best results can be obtained'by grading the fleX- ure of the movable body of my type of blade because the action of the waves is apt, attimes, to impel an edgewise thrust against the sides of the blade and the torsion exerted will be greatest at or near the embedded end of the blade.

The preferred type of my invention con- 1 sists in providing mechanism for reciprocating the propeller blades simultaneously which is subject at all times to control from i the operator, and to this end, I provide means for throwing either or both of the propeller shafts out of operation.

The combined effect of the novel form of novel actuating means therefor is to place under complete control of the operator the various working parts which cooperate to move the vessel in a guided course.

propeller blade disclosed and also of the With these and other objects in view, my

invention consists in the arrangement, disposition and embodiment of the various structural elements shown 1n the drawlngs and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I11 the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a launch or other vessel taken at the stern,

and showing the inner arrangement of thenovel propeller blade herelnafter described, -Fig. 2 1s a transverse section of the launch taken on the line X-X of Fig. 1 and showing the actuating mechanism for the propeller blades, Fig. 3 is a detail partly in section showing the loose bearingsfor the propeller shaft. Fig. 41- is a diagrammatic view 5 of the propeller blade in action, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism employed for throwing either or both of the propeller shafts out of operation, Fig. 6 is a detail in elevation of one of the actuating pinions and the means employed for throwing it out of operation, Fig. 7 is a vertical section of a propeller blade lookingat it from one end 'or taken from one end showing the arrangement of the overlapping laminations and the reinforcing members therefor.

In the drawings like reference characters refer to similar parts wherever used.

In the drawings 1 designates a vessel of any kind and the one shown in the drawings is a launch. In this vessel I show. at each side horizontally disposed guides 2 slightly above the keel which receives the propeller shafts 8, one at each side of the vessel and each projecting into the water;

the arrangement therefore provides for guiding each propeller shaft in a horizontal plane. Fach propeller shaft is provided at one end 3 with an integral socket piece 3 which works in the socket bearing 4 hereafter described and the object of which is .tomount a'shaft loosely in its bearings.

At 6 is shown a novel form of propeller blade which has a graded flexure. Laminations are placed in overlapping series upon each other to give this graded flexion and the arrangement is effective to increase the springiness of the blade when in motion. These laminations are each reduced in size in the ratio of their distance from the embedded end of the blade, each lamination overlapping the other out-standing laminations.

Reference being had to Fig. 7, it will be seen that 6 is one of the laminations which from its position may be considered the main one of the series, since the inner laminations 6 bears upon its face; similarly another lamination 6 is shown overlapping the lamination 6 and still another lamination, being the innermost one 6 bears against each face of the lamination 6 The main lamination 6 is the outermost one and has free thin edges. It is obvious, therefore through this arrangement that a graded flexure is given to the blades and that of the laminations the outermost is thinnest, the

from the blade.

Any suitable means may be employed to mount the propeller blade on the shaft and at right angles thereto so as to be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vessel, the means I show comprising a two lobed shank is provided with an aperture to receive said shaft and a screw is tapped into the wall of the aperture and serves to fasten the blade to the shaft in the conventional way. The object of the two lobed formation upon the shank is to provide weight at the innermost end, which weights have been found in practice to be very essential as will be hereinafter explained, to incline the blade in a substantially horizontal position when the propeller shaft is reciprocated to give the backward action of the fin shaped blade hereinafter described. The blade is adapted to move between the inner sides of the two ears or lobes of the shank when in action.

' In order to maintain each of the lamina tions in its proper place I form integral flexible ribs or reinforcing strips 7 upon the shank and cause them to extend preferably in a radial direction; these ribs 7 are sides of the blade by any' suitable means such as wire eyelets 7 fastened to either or both of them as shown in the drawings.

From the above it will be noticed that the means for securing the propeller blade upon the shaft consists of a single piece member having lobed portions 7 and the integral radially extending rib members 7 thereby causing the said bed to lie more securely embedded within said means, I have designated said means as a shank but any other allied term may be used wit-h the same by those skilled in the art.

found however that the free motion of the effect. It will also be noticed that the reinforcing ribs 7 are flexible and move with the laminat-ions and are loose and movable in the eyelet 7. Owing to the advantage of employing these fin shaped propeller blades for marine propulsion they are mounted on the shaft in a novel way. Briefly, each propeller blade is set parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vessel so that the blades when in action will offer the least resistance to the waves. The use of these fin shaped blades has been described in my above mentioned patent as will be noticed It has been propeller blades has been unnecessarily ret-arded on several occasions by the rising and falling action of the waves and by reason of gthe fact that the means disclosed in my patent has not embraced any means for allowing the propeller blades to slightly vtilt below the waves when the action of re- .ciprocation takes place.

others thicker according to their distance In order that the inner propeller blade :of the fin shaped construction shall not be impelled out of the water to which its tilt- Eing action may give rise the two ears or lobes 7 of the shank act as weights which will normally maintain the propeller blades in their proper position.

7 shown clearly in Fig. 7, which at one end 3 The arrangement by which the propeller blades may be tilted is shown in Fig. 3, 5 wherein 4E designates a socket bearing one end of which works loosely and freely in the i socket piece 3 of the propeller shaft and the E opposite end is screwthreaded to receive the fiscrewthreaded port-ion of the connecting .piece 5 cooperating with the actuating means for the shaft 3. tion the undue rising action of the waves will be effective only to slightly flex the gpropeller blades but will not cause either of them to become dislodged from its position By this construe in the water. Any suitable means may be iemployed to pack the guides 2 against leakage. Instead of the lobes any other similar construction subserving the same end may be used but it must be borne in mind that ;the arrangement shown simplifies the conistruetion by enabling the flexible laminations of each blade to have movement between the inner sides of each lobe.

fastened to all of the lamination at both i The actuating means which I provide for jreciprocating simultaneously each propeller shaft 3 is mounted on a platform 8 just .above the keel of the vessel. rest above this platform, one at each side, and rotatably mounted above the standards is a spur wheel 10 and 11.

Standards 9 Each of these spur wheels 10 and 11 carries a pitman 12 i and 13 secured to rotate therewith by a wrist pin, as it is known to those skilled in the art. The free end of each pitman is connected to the connecting piece 5 which is shown held in the socket bearing 4. The transmission gear for each of these spur wheels comprises a main spur wheel 14 and a separate pinion 15 and 16 is driven by means of these spur wheels and has the customary driving connections with the spur wheels 10 and 11 respectively. A motor or any other agency may be employed to give rotation to the main spur wheel 14 and when in action the main spur wheel will impart motion to the other spur wheels 10 and 11 and will thereby actuate each pitman 12 and 13 to reciprocate each propeller shaft 3 in its guides 2. The said guides 2 are provided with a suitable packing embracing the propeller shaft 2 as known in the art. Each of the propeller shafts 3, will through their number of driving wheels shown he impelled in a similar direction with respect to the sides of the vessel going inward or outward at the same time, thereby giving rise to the backward action of each propeller blade made clear in the diagrammatic view in Fig. 4;. As shown in Fig. 1, the propeller shaft holds the propeller blade 6 in a plane at right angles thereto, which same propeller blade is shown in the figures to occupy a position parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vessel. When the propeller shaft 3 is reached outward as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 the line of flexure will be as shown in dotted lines A due to the opposition of the water currents and when it is moved from its outermost position, as shown, back to its innermost position, the line of fleXure will be as indicated by dotted lines B, so that the resultant of the oppositely curved lines of flexure will be a center line between its normal position and its outermost position when the reciprocating means is in action. Owing to this action of the fin shaped propeller blades the action of the blades will resemble that of an ordinary fish and the vessel propelled thereby given speed and steadiness of course as has been demonstrated in actual use.

In order that the operator may throw either or both of the propeller shafts 3 out of operation and thereby cause one of the propeller blades to engage the water at a single movement, I provide a foot actuating device for a controlling means for reciprocating the propeller shaft. This is shown in Fig. 5 and to this reference will now be made. As the pinions 15 and 16 are the controlling members of the gearing before described in practice it has been found convenient to cause a treadle device to cooperate therewith but any other means may be provided for the same purpose that will enable the op.- erator at will to render either or both of said shafts inoperative in whatever position placed. The pinions 15 and 16 are mounted loosely in sleeves 17 and 18 and when in service are pivotally mounted in standards 19 and 20 to hold the sleeves 17 and 18 in actual alinement with respect to the shafts 10 11 on the spur wheels 10 and 11; so that the pinions may operate said spur wheels, I provide a treadle or foot device 23 and 24 respectively for each pinion, the foot device comprising two integral parts pivoted at 24, and upon one of the members 23 the foot 1 of the operator is adapted to rest in order to throw the pinion out of gear and the other member 23 normally bears upon the sleeve 17 or 18 as the case may be to hold it in position so that the pinions may engage the spur wheels for the purpose mentioned.

At 25 and 26 are shown any suitable yielding treadle device adapted to hold the foot device 23 and 24 in a normal position when it is desired to place the pinions in opera- 1 t1on. The member 23, as shown, is flanged,

so that the step 25 will engage the free action end of the member 23 until the operator causes it to be ejected from position and thereby causes the weight of the pinion 15 or 16 as the case may be, to force the end 23 downward as shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 6, whereupon the pinions will be thrown out of gear. A similar device is shown operating in connection with the pinion 15 and needs no further description.

At 10 and 11 are shown suitable standards upon which wheels 10 and 11 are mounted. From this arrangement it will be obvious that the operator will have each of the propeller shafts completely under control at will enabling him to throw either or'both of the shafts out of operation, a feature which gives added advantage to the propeller blades which are now given a graded fiexure. The transmission gear 14 may be under control to operate either or both of the spur wheels 10 or 11 according to the operators wish. 1

From the above description it is believed that the invention is clear and thatby reason of the graded fiexure of each propeller blade that enables it to better cooperate with the wave motion topropel the ship and also by reason of the independently actuated propeller shafts, the vessel may be more effectively driven in a set course and the equilibrium of the keel more steadily maintained.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A device as described comprising a series of graduated blades bound fixedly connected at their inner ends and movably connected at their outer ends, and ribs movably secured to said outer ends.

2. A device as described comprising a series of graduated blades bound fixedly connected at their inner ends and movably connected at their outer ends, ribs movably secured to said outer ends, said ribs being radially disposed.

3. A fin shaped propeller consisting of a series of flexible blades having large and ably bound together at the large ends, said blades being of varying graduations from the centermost thereof outwardly, the binding means consisting of flexible arms fixed outwardly to said blades, loops on said blades through which said arms project.

4. A fin shaped propeller consisting of a series of flexible blades having large and small ends each of which are fixedly connected together at the small ends and movably bound together at the large ends, said blades being of varying graduations from ing means consisting of flexible arms fixed outwardly to said blades, loops on said blades through which said arms project, retaining members between which said blades are movable.

series of flexible blades having large and small ends each of which are fixedly connected together at the small ends and movably bound together at the large ends, said blades being of varying graduations from the centermost thereof outwardly, the binding means consisting of flexible arms fixed outwardly to said blades, loops on said blades through which said arms project, retaining members between which said blades are movable, said members having arcuate inner edges whereby the flexing movement of said blades is limited.

6. A fin shaped propeller consisting of a series of flexible blades having large and small end of each of which are fixedly connected together at the small ends and movably bound together at the large ends, said blades being of varying graduations from the centermost thereof outwardly, the binding means consisting of flexible arms fixed outwardly to said blades, loops on saidblades through which said arms project, retaining members between which said blades are movable, said members having arcuate inner edges whereby the flexing movement of said blades is limited, means for reciprocating said propeller.

7. A fin shaped propeller consisting of a series of flexible blades having large and small ends each of which are fixedly connected together at the small ends and movably bound together at the large ends, said blades being of varying graduations from .the centermost thereof outwardly, the bind ing means consisting of flexible arms fixed outwardly to said blades, loops on said the centermost thereof outwardly, the bind- 1 blades through which said arms project, re-

;taining members between which said blades fare movable, said members having arcuate Iinner edges whereby the flexing movement of said blades is limited, means for recip- 'rocating said propeller horizontally.

5. A fin shaped propeller consisting of a 8. A fin shaped propeller consisting of a series of flexible blades having large and small ends each of Wl11Cl1 are fixedly connected together at the small ends and movably bound together at the large ends, said blades being of varying graduations from the centermost thereof outwardly, the binding means consisting of flexible arms fixed outwardly to said blades, loops on said.

blades through which said arms project, retaining members between which said blades are movable, said members having arcuate inner edges whereby the flexing movement of said blades 1s limlted, means for lGC1P1'O* eating said propeller horizontally, and means whereby said propeller may be tilted.

G In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK B. TAFF.

Witnesses JOHN M. CLARK, GEORGE A. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

